Stapling machine



Nov. 15, 1932. L, OBS-[FELD ET AL 1,887,731

STAPLING MACHINE Filed Dec. e, 1929 3 sheets-sheet 1 Lum Nov. l5, 1932.L." oBsTFELD ETAL STAPLING MACHINE Filed Dec. e. 1929 s sheets-smeet 2Aun ATTORNEY Patented Nw. 1s, 1932 'UNITED STATESv PATENT. oFFlcE 'LOUOBSTFELD, 0F BROOKLYN, AND-WILLIAM DRYPOLCHER, OF VALLEY STREAM, NEW

YORK, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID LOU OBSTFELD AND I.OBSTFELD, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAPLING MACHINE Application led December 6, 1929. Serial No. 412,251.

This invention relates 'to improvements in stapling machines ofthe typeembodying a hand operated hammer for driving wire stales or fasteners,which are automatically fed from a magazine one at a time into the pathof the hammer.

The invention has for its object to provide a stapling machine of thischaracter which is designed to meet the most rigid economicalmanufacturing conditions without de'tracting from its efliciency orappearance.

A further object of our invention is to providea stapling machine havingthe magazine designed to be 'loaded at the front end which is closed bya spring gate or door degate, from its partially open position, andswing it to full open position.

Another object of the invention is `to pro-x vide a locking springreleasably carried in the hammer guide to limit the upward movement ofthe hammer.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a staple slidehaving a latch to engage a portion of the magazine case to hold theslide against the full tension of its spring while the magazine is beingreloaded.

And a still further object of our invention -is to provide a. staple'retractor and means for assembling the latter in the front end of themagazine case after the ent-ire machine has otherwise been completelyassembled.

lVe accomplish these objectsv by means of the arrangement andcombination of parts hereinafter described in the specification, setforth in the claims, and illustratively exemplified in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a substantially longitudinal sectionalview of my improved stapling machine showing the hammer and magazinecase in normal raised position; Figure 2 is a front elevational view ofthel plunger housing; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the rear j portionof the magazine showing the staple slide and latch; Figure 4 is vasubstantially transverse2 sectional view of the magazine taken on line 44 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a substantially longitudinal sectional viewof the staple retractor and outer end of the magazine case showing themanner in which the retractor is assembled; Figure 6 is a substantiallylongitudinal sectional'view of the magazine taken on line 6-6 of Figure1;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of'V the lower end of theplunger housing, hammer and clincher device showing the plunger in itsdepressed position; F igure8 is a transverse sectional view of theclincher devicetaken on line 8 8' of Figure 1; F igure9 is a transversesectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7 Figure 10 is a bottom planview of the knob; and Figure 1l is a substantially cross sectional viewof the knob taken on lines 11 .11 of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a top planview of the plunger housing; Figure 13.

is a front elevational view of the plunger housing and'gate.; Figure 14is a front elevational view of the plunger and blade; and Figure 15 is atransverse sectional view of the same takenon line\15-15 of Figure 14.

Referring to the drawings, our improved stapling machine comprises anelongated base plate 10 having a pair of spaced upright ears 11 bentfrom the'mid portion of the base adjacent the reark end thereof. v

Adjacent the front end of the plate 10 the material is struck'up to forma cylindrical clincher housing case 12 in which the clincher mechanismhereinafter described is encased as illustrated in Figures l, 7, 8 and9. I

Pivotally mounted between the upright ears 11 on a transverse pin 13 isa magazine case 14, which comprises a length of channel bar having itssides bent inwardly and parallel to the bottom with the interveningspace to accommodate a staple slide 15. The extreme rearward end of thecase 14 is bent downwardly to form a stop lip 16 and adjacent the latterin the bottom wall is a slot 17 projecting transversely thereof, toaccommodate one end of aV lat spring 18,

turns upright to form a stop or seat 19 for one end of the staple spring20, and which in a forwardly direction beyond the slot 17 projectsoutside and against the bottom of thecase 14 to a oint short of the .pin13, where it bends ownwardly under'tension to engage in a slot intheunder side of the pin and bear at its forward end upon the surface ofthe base plate 10. The spring 18 rearwardly of the in 13 tends to exerta downward pull on t e rear of the magazine case 14 and as a.consequence yieldably su ports its forward end atan elevationsubstantially above that of the base plate.

Permanently mounted within the magazine case 14 is a core 21 ofsubstantially the same shape las the latter except that its dimensionsare somewhat smaller, so that when the bottom walls of the case 14 andcore 21 are welded together in superimposed position', as illustrated inFi ures 1 and 4, there will be a space provide along the toptand sidesto accommodate the staple slide 15 and staples A. The staple spring 20is a spiral member with flat sides to fit-inside' the walls of the core21 and at its forward end abuts a downwardly turned projection 22 of Aastaple latch 23 .which is carried by the slide 15 and held in slidingcontact there` with by an end groove formedby a turned over portion 24ofthe slide, the latch itself being trned back on itself in the grooveand provided with a cutv outside portion to form a tooth 25. The turnedend of the latch terminates in an upturned fin er piece 26. Theprojection 22 of the`latc 23 enters the interior of the core-21 throu han opening 27 which has its forward wal disosed at an angle to -form ata red o ening. This opening 27 allows t e latc to be swung in thedirection of its tooth to engage a notch 28% cut in the edge of the topwall of the ma azine case 14. To remove the tension o` the spring 20 onthe staples A the slide 15 is drawn as far back as possible or until thelatch 23 swings into a position to engage the tooth 25 in the 5 jectingrearwardly beyond the side walls and downwardly to embrace the sides ofthe magazinecasing 14, as illustratively exemplified in Figures 1 and^2.The lower end 'of the rear wall of the housing 30 is bent inwardly toform a seat 32, the center of the latter being struck up to provide aboss 33 for the purpose of centering the lower end of a lcoiled spring34. TheA housing is welded to the magazine case 14 at several points ofcontact so that the two parts after assmbly become virtually a singleintegral uni The housing 30 is guideway for a plunger 35 which is alength of square or rectan ular tubing slidably mounted longitudinal yin housing 30, and which is provided at its upper end .with a knob 36,the latter being a stamping having a dome-shaped top and a square orrectangular socket 37 depending therefrom by means of two straps 38, asshown in Figures 10 and 11. The plunger 35 1s yieldably supported in itsuppermost pos1t1on by the upper end of the coiled spring 34 whic seatsagainst the inner surface of the knob 36. The plunger 35 is removablymounted in the housing 30 and limited in its movements therein bya'plunger stop spring 39, which has one end turned under to form a hook40, while the portion adjacent the opposite 'end is offset to form astop 41 and curved tip 42. The hook 40 engages the lower portion of theback wall of the plunger housing 30 by being inserted under a strap 43formed by a punched out section of the housing. The stop portionv41 ofthe spring 39 is yieldably held in position in a slot 44 in the rearwall of the housing and projects therethrough to enter an elongated slot45 in the adjacent wall of the plunger 35, as shown in Figure 1. It willbeclear that longitudinal movement of the plunger 35 is limited to thelength of its slot 45 where the ends of the latter abut the oppositesides of the stop 41 ofthe spring 39. Removal of the plunger 35 from thehousing 30 is facilitated by merely raising the stop portion 41outwardly from the slot 45 whchpfrees the (plunger and allows it to bedrawn upwar ly out of the housing.

Referring now .particularly to Figure 14, it will be seen that the frontwall of the plunger 35 is provided with two spaced circular shaped osses46, which are stamped outwardly from the lower half of the plunger wall.These oiisets 46 are adapted to project into similarly shaped openings47 punched out of a plate 48 forming the steel blade or die which afterbeing formed and shaped is hardened and properly tempered. The openings47 are provided in the upper half of the blade 48 so that when placed onthe ofsets 46 the lower end portion of the blade projects downwardlybelow the plunger 35 and on a plane just forward of the front wall ofthe plunger. The lower end of the blade is cut away slightly to pointsjust short of the sides to form a pair of iingers 49 curved on theirinside walls. The purpose of the fingers 49 is to embrace the oppositeends of the staple A durin the driving operation of the plunger, as ilustratively exemplified in Figures 8 and 9. The lower portion of theblade below the lowermost opening 47 is sli htly thinner than itsupperpart so that t ereis a space between its wall or seat 82, and thatthe latter is disposed in fixedposition overthe free end of the magazinecase 14.v

As previously stated, the magazine is loaded at its forward end andthestaples A are disposed along the passage between the walls of themagazine case 14 and core 21 frointhe' pusher 22 to the outer end. l*Tofacilitate loading the magazine a gate`50 is mounted at one side of the'housingiSO as illustrated in" Figures 1, 7 and 13, on a-pin hinge 51which is supported invupright position between one of two pair of'ears52 welded iny position on the' housing, the other fpairof'ears beingmounted on the opposite side `of the housingv 30 and providedrwith alatch pin 53.

The magazine gate or door`50 iscut from -1 a single piece of springsteelhaving a flat front portion cut awayat yits lower section to provide anopening 54. The front portion is turned rearwardly'at right angles tooverlie the sides of the plunger housing 30, see Figure 6, and fromthe'mid portion of each end a narrow tab projects, one tab being turnedon itself to form an eye 56 turning on the hinge pin 51, while theothertab is bent outwardly and rearwardlyT at one inclination, then in asemi-circle 'towards the eye 56to form the latch 57 and finally in areverse 'curve to provide a finger tip 58. In

the closed position, illustrated in Figure 6.`

the latch' 57 is shown engaging the latch pin 53 to hold themagazine-door 50. The door 50, if accidentally released by bringing thelatch 5T overthe latch pin 53, will have the ventire force of the spring34 behind 'the staples A tending to drive it tov fullopen position witha result of possible injury being vinflicted upon the operator from theprojected staples A. llVe have overcome the possibility of such a mishapby means of a coiled spring 59, whichl 'at its ends is coiled aboutthe'hinge'pin and bears against the side wall of thehousing 30 in backof the ears and which at its mid portion is disposed about the earsandvspans the-space between the latter, the mid portion being undertension and held against the forward side offthe ears and in the path ofthe hingedside ofthe door 50 when the latter swings to open position. Itis the purpose of the spring 59 to overcome the inertia of the spring 34to force the door to its full open position so as to allow the staplesto'escape. Therefore, the ii-r'st step in swinging the door to openposition is'to vrelease its latch 57 and then' after being swung to apartially open position and against the mid portion of the spring `59,it is necessary to force the door against the spring 59which will yieldand allow the full end of the magazinefto be ex osed for 'refillingpurposes. It is Aassumed t at an operator, having accidentally releasedthe door 50 before making the staple latch 23 fast tothe magazine case14, and experiencing the shock of having'the door 50 suddenly yfly topartially open position as the latter engages the spring 59, will bereminded to draw the staple latch 23 back towards the rear of themagazine 14V and engage the tooth 25 in the notch`28 to hold the staplespring' 20^`retraeted, before forcing the door to' its full openposition.

In order that the staples Amay be properly delivered one at a tiinefto aposition directly inthe path of thedescending blade 48, Jwe

mount a staple retractor inthe end of the corey 21', asv illustrativelyexemplied in `Figures 1, 5', 6 and 7 'The' staple retractorcom. 'prisesa pedestal 60 having anangular wall (i1-forming the rearand bottom andupright side walls 62 which are curved 'at their-free ends `fromthe topof the angular wall to the end of the bottom portion thereof.v Two lugs63 are punched out of the bottoni portion of the pedestal 60 to forni attheir lower 'sides straight surfaces adapted torest upon Ithe lower orclosedsurface of the core 21 'which isl turned up at its 4,end -toprovide a lip 64 to receive the end of the bottoni portion of thepedestal while the rear ends of the flugs 63 rest against lugs65`stiuckvup fronithe bottom wall ofthe core 21'. The manner in whichthe pedestal 60 is placed in the core is illustrated clearly in Figure5. The sides 62 carry a pin 66 therebetween upon which the ear portions67v of a tongue 68 arev pivyof metal which swings upwardly against theopen top` portion of the core 21 and which projects' outwardly throughthepath of 'the blade 48- and is normally heldin engagement with the topside of the opening 50,' asl illus-` trated in Figure 1. v The tongue'68v is yield? ably supported in this position by Acoiled spring 69 whichcoils about the pin 66and engages at its opposite end respectivelyagainst the tongue 68 andbottoin wall of the pedestal 60@ lt will beseen,'ac'cordi'ng to Figure 7 that as the blade 48 is drivendownwardly,"the stapler-i in itspath isprojected between the gate andthe endof the core. 21 and against the tongue 68 which yields'` tothepressure and swings about the pin 66 until the *crossl or closed end ofthe staple is far enoughV on its way to pass the. end ofthe tongue, asillustrated in Figure 7. The succeeding staple still in the ways isprevented from further movement bythe upper portion of the blade, but asthe latter lifts andfreturns to its initial positio'nthe tongue 68follows the end of the bladeinits upwardcmovement, which finally reachesan elevation -above "thatof the staples, whereupon the s feature ofthisarrangement is the ease with which the parts may be removed and insertedagain in the event of repairs being necessary.

The clincher mechanism is mounted in the ures 1,7, 8 and 9, andcomprises a two piece cap shaped case which 1s mounted inthe housing 12and provided with a lug 71 projecting from its side wall into a oove 72in the adjacent wall of the housmg. The case 70'is a stamped member andabout midway of its height a flange 73 is arranged against which a heavycoiled sprin 74 seats.l

at one end while the other end of t e spring bears against a disc 75fitting tightly in the base plate 10 at its under side to close theopening formed by the metal upturned to form the housing 12. The topwall of the v clincher case 70 is rovided with a diametrically disposedslot7 neath the blade 50 whenthe latter is depressed with the hingedcasing 14. The slot 76 is formed by turning the metal downwardly onopposite sides of a slit cut in the cover. Pivotally mounted on pins 77mounted in the side walls of the slot 76, adjacent opposite endsthereof, are clincher jaws 78, each thereof being a flat piece ofmaterial with an inwardly curved upper side 79 which ends in an upturnedtip and straight end side 80. The ends 80 are arranged in very closeproximity to each other when the staple A is being clinched, asillustrated in Figure 9. The under sides of the jaws 78 are roundedoutwardly to form cam surfaces 81. Each jaw 78 has a rojection 82 on itsside to limit theirpupwar movement about the pins 77` the projections 82engaging the lower end o one of the side walls of the slot 76.Reciprocally mounted in the clincher casing 70 is a jaw supportingmember 83 upon -the upper surface of which the cam surfaces 81 rest.

The skirt portion of the member 83 is slidably fitted against thecylindrical interior of the case 70. A coiled spring 84 yieldablysupports the member 83 in which it is housed, the spring 84 being incontact with the disc 75 dat one end and the member 83 at the-other enThe operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the magazineischarged with staples 'A and it is desired to fasten a package ofpapers together," the latter is placed over the clincher case 70 andthe'blade 50 driven downwardly by depressing the lmob at the upper end ofthe plunge 35,' from the position ofV Figure 1 to that of Figure 7.Continued movement of the blade 50 causes the ends of the staple A topierce the package and strike the inwardly curved upper housing 12, asillustrated particularly in Fig-l 6 directly in line and be-A sides ofthe jaws, which while they spre under the pressure of the blade, theresistance offered by the spring supported member 83 is sufiicient toturn the staple ends inwardly to the position shown in Figure 8. Thefinal movement of the blade brings the staple to the position shown inFigure 9'where it is com leteliy clinched and the support 83 restingirectdy on the disc 75. When the plunger is release it springs upwardlyand allows the clincher case 70 to ride up under tension of the s ring74 until the flange 73 is stopped by the ange 85 at the upper end of thehousing 12.

Having now described our invention and the manner in which the sameoperates, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. In astapling machine the combination of a staple-carrylng arm for receivingand discharging the staples from the same end,

a sta le driver reciprocable on the arm, means for eeding'the staplesalong the arm and into the path yof the driver, and means disposed overthe loading and delivery end of the arm to hold the staples in thedriving position when closed and capableof only partial unresistedmovement to open position when released.

2. In a stapling machine, the combination of a sta le-carrying arm forreceiving and dischargm the staples from the same end, a staple riverreciprocable on the arm, means for feeding the staples along the arm andinto the path of the driver, hinged means disposed over the receivingand discharging end of the arm, and resilient means engaged by thehinged means upon reaching partial open position'for resisting movementof the hinged means to full open position.

3. In a stapling machine, the combination of a staple-carrying armpivotally mounted and yieldably supported adjacent one end, a stapledriver reciprocable on the free end of the arm,^means for feeding thestaples .door in its partially open position.

4. In a stapling machine,l the combination "of a staple carrying 4armpivotally mounted and yieldably supported adjacent one end, a stapledriver reciprocable on the free end of the arm, means for feeding thestaples along 'the arm` and into the path of the driver, a

door hinged at one side of the free end of the arm and in closedposition forming one wall of the path of the staples under the driver,and resllient means to arrest movement of the door to open positionbeyond a point directly ig the path of the staples being projected a ongthe arm.

' 5. In a stapling machine the combination of a staple carrying armpivotally mounted=` loaxis of the door, opposite ends of the springbeing Xed and the mid portion forming a stirrup supported underl tensionof the coils in the path taken by the door swinging to open position,engagement of the door with the spring taking place when a portion ofthe free'end' of the door is still in the path of any staples beingprojected by the feed from the open end of the arm.

2 6. In a stapling machine, the combination of a staple carrying 'armpivotally mounted and yieldably supported adjacent one end and adaptedto be loaded' and discharged from the free end, a staple driverreciprocable on the free end-of the arm, means for feeding'the staplesalong the arm under pressure and into the path of the driver, a doorhinged at one side of the driver andv comprising a U-shaped member, thecross portion of which closes over the open end of the arm to form theoutside wall of the path taken by the staple under the driver, the freeend of the door having a portion to yieldably hold the door in closedposition and a projection beyond' said portion to remain in the path ofthe staples when pro-v jected beyond the path ofthe driver, and a springstop for the hinged end of the door to yieldably resist the door in itsmovement to open position beyond a point where said pro- 40 jectionwould be in the path of the staples being projected from the open end ofthe arm. 7. A stapling machine, as claimed Vin claim 5, in which thecross piece of said door is fut away at its under side to form a slot,and a staple retractor mounted in the free end of the arm and having ayieldable arm projecting across the path of the driver and suppoitedagainst a wall of said slot to support a staple in the path of thedriver. l

8.In a stapling machine, the combination of a staple carrying armcomprising an louter and aninner casing spaced apart on top and at theirsides to form a passage for the staples, the upper wall of both ca-singshaving longitudinal openings, a'staple driver reciprocab'le on the endof the arm, means for feeding the staples along the arm and into thepath ofthe driver, a hinged door for the driver end of the arm having anopening,fthe upper wall of which is below the space between the twoupper walls of the casings, and a retractor for the staples comprising apedestal detachably mounted in the arm back of the said door, a tonguepivotally mounted in the pedl estal and having the tip, and movablethrough portion disposed co-axially of the swingingk -driver end of thearm,

the pathl ofthe driver and opening in said door, and aspringyieldablysupporting the tongue against the upper end `of said opening inthe door to support a staple in the path of the driveiysaid tongue whendepressed being inside the path of the staple and driver.

9. A stapling machine, as claimed in claim 8, in which the inner casingat its endV adjacent the door is cut away and turned upitol form a lipagainst which one end of tlie pedestal is engaged, said inner casingbeing further provided' with lugs to receive the other end of thepedestal.

10. In a stapling machine, the combination of a staple carrying armcomprising anlouter casing and an inner core spaced from each other onthe top and two sides to form a magazine passage for the staples, saidcasing and Y core having longitudinal vopenings along their top walls,astaple driver reciprocable v on one end of the arm, a hinged door forthe and means for feedinothe staples along the magazine passage and intothe path of the driver, comprising a spring arranged in said core, astaple slide in said passage between the loose end of the spring and thestaples, a pivotal support yadjacent the spring end of the arm, and aspring for resiliently supporting the arm in raised position andprojecting into the core to form a seat for the xed end of the springfor projecting the slide, and means carried by the i slide andadjustable to one side for latching the slide to the casing to hold thesaid spring under tension. j

11. In a stapling machine, the combination of a staple carrying arm, aplunger housing on one end of the arm, aplunger reciprocable in saidhousing, comprising a tubular mem-v ber rectangular in transversesection, a blade mounted on one end of the plunger, and a one piece knobfor the other end comprising a dome shaped portion provided with radialT-shaped projections, the stems of which are bent under the dome portionand the cross pieces are bent to abut each other at their ends to form arectangular shank dis osed axially of the dome and adapted to em racethe end of the plunger opposite the blade. I

12. In a stapling machine, a standard having a base with upturned earsat one end and a raised circular portion at the other, a staple carryingarm pivotally mounted at one end between said ears, a staple driverreciprocable on the other end of the arm, and means forV sitely disposedjaws pivotally mounted in the case and having their' free endsprojecting 125 towards each other, the upper` walls Iof the jaws beinginwardly curved and terminating in a raised tip, and a second casingspring supported within the first casing and supporting the jaws fromunderneath, whereby a staple being driven by downward movementof thedriver will engage the curved walls of the jaws and turn the jawsdownward which rst turn the staple ends towards each other and thenunder pressure theouter casing recedes and lowers the pivotal ends ofthe jaws causing the free ends to rise to turn the staple ends upwardly.

13. A stapling machine, as claimed in claim 12, in which the circularportion of the base is provided with a. shoulder at its lower open end,and a disc driven into the base against the shoulder to form a seat forthe said casings in depressed position.

14. A stapling machine, as claimed in claim 12, in which the upper endof the circular portion is inwardly flanged and provided with alongitudinal guideway on its side, the outer -casing being provided witha. flange midway of its height anda lug projecting radially of the sidewall to move in said guideway.

In testimony whereof they have aixed their signatures.

25 LOU OBSTFELD.

' WILLIAM DRYPOLCHER.

